O’Brien County, Iowa — Earlier this month, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that would make Iowa what firearms enthusiasts call a “Constitutional Carry” state, meaning the Iowans will no longer be forced to get a Permit to Carry Weapons before carrying a loaded firearm, nor a Permit to Purchase before buying a gun.
O’Brien County Sheriff Bruce Devereaux says the permits aren’t being done away with, but instead are becoming optional.
(As above) “There’s not going to be a lot of changes. The permits are still going to be available and the people that want to purchase firearms may still want to get the Acquire permits and the Concealed Carry permits, due to the fact that if they go to purchase a gun they don’t have to go through the FBI NICS check through the dealer.”
He says the new law calls for stiff penalties for someone who knowingly sells a firearm to another person who isn’t eligible to own one.
(As above) “Another change in it is to KNOWINGLY sell a gun to a prohibited subject will now become a Class D Felony. So if you sell a gun and know that the person (the buyer) is prohibited…through either being a convicted felon or having a no-contact order, then you’re committing a felony.”
The new law goes into affect July 1st in Iowa, but until them, Sheriff Devereaux says…
(As above “It’s the same as it’s always been. You have to have a permit to carry to carry concealed or in your vehicle, loaded.”
Some opponents of the new law say they simply don’t feel comfortable with someone carrying a firearm in their vicinity.
(As above) “I think they’d be surprised how many people are already carrying that they don’t know about.”
Devereaux stressed that the new law will have no affect on people who have been legally prohibited from carrying, or even owning a gun, such as convicted felons, people under a no-contact order, domestic abusers and the like. Those people will still not be able to legally access a firearm.
Sheriff Devereaux says his office is doing a thorough review of the bill for any nuances in the language, so they can be ready and on the same page by July 1st.
